by Jim Edge
At Baptist Bible College, our first priority will always be the spiritual formation of our students. They must have an unshakable faith and a strong heart for Christ.
A second priority we have for our students is a strong general education. Educators agree the value of a general education is far greater than the subjects taken. Of greater value is the development of proper study skills, the ability to formulate ideas, and an increased capacity to think critically and strategically.
Think of the Apostle Paul at a strategic place in his ministry in Acts 17. The city of Athens was the heart of secular culture and thought, the home of Socrates and Plato, and the adopted city of Aristotle, Epicurus, and Zeno — the great minds of worldly thinking.
As Paul ministered in Athens, the residents sensed something different and powerful about his presentation. He was invited to the Areopagus, Mars Hill, where he told his indifferent and arrogant audience who God is in no uncertain terms. Then, without apology, he told them what God says. He did so with authority and grace. He presented Christ in such a way that even the most educated of the city were moved — “But certain men clave unto him, and believed:” (Acts 17:34b). His experience with God and his excellent education at the foot of Gamaliel provided him the ability to address even the most sophisticated audience with confidence and authority.
A strong general education cannot guarantee an audience for our graduates, but it will provide them with a solid foundation for ministry. At Baptist Bible College, our academic standards are high. Baptist Bible College and Graduate School of Theology is an accredited institution of the North Central Region of the Higher Learning Commission and the Association for Biblical Higher Education. Each organization regularly evaluates the general education block of courses offered.
Therefore our curriculum goal is that a student:
- Develops a disposition for life-long learning.
- Investigates the diversities and complexities of the past and present culture to effectively serve God.
- Utilizes systematic principles and abilities to make informed decisions and solve problems.
- Develops logical arguments and draws reasoned conclusions.
- Analyzes information and life situations within a biblical worldview.
- Communicates accurately in a Christ-like manner with clarity, coherence, and persuasiveness.
(See http://www.gobbc.edu/about/our-institution/institutional-goals)
We are serious about training future leaders whose ministries will meet and exceed those who have gone before them. Our students arrive on our campus as committed Christians full of dreams for their future. To help them fulfill those dreams, we are determined to educate the most competent Christian leaders for this generation with God’s inerrant Word as our compass, integrity as our guide, and excellence as our goal.